WHITBY FREE PRESS,MWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1988, PAGE 5 Two Olympic thoughts have occupied my thoughts in recent days. On Sunday evening I listened to CBC radio's Cross Country Checkup, where the question of the day asked people to ponder their disappointment over the lack of medals won by the Canadian Olympic team. On Monday evening, my thoughts turned elsewhere. Unless you have been living on the planet Barf, by now you know that Ben Johnson has been stripped of his gold medal in the 100-metre sprint. The two issues are closely related. Let us then first turn to the matter of medals - or lack of them - harvested by Canada this Olympies. Are we dissappointed? Perhaps. Should we be? Consider that $50 million of government support into the comparatively large Canadian Olympic team. Surely 372 athletes we have sent can do better than the three medals won so far. Or is there a comparison? One view would insist that the medal proves we have been too liberal and have wasted money sending many athletes who have no chance of winning. Let's send only those who are medal contenders; let the rest stay home until they have a chance. The opposite view would insist that it is only through world-level competition that we will develop champions, and that we all gain through the participation of our nation's best in any sport. Both views are flawed. We (Canada) earn exactly the results in Seoul that we deserve. Notice the "we"; not "the athletes" but "we" - Canadians. The medals, or lack of them, are a direct result of the support we have provided over the past four, eight, twelve, years. Oh, sure. I know you were going to bring up that $50 million price tag that we taxpayers have put on our government MasterCard. Peanuts. You don't buy medals - you earn them. No, by support I mean the emotional and interest and financial and ticket and sports page and fan support that is necessary to the building of a sport. Do WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Achievement more than money you really think that Wayne Gretzky would be the hockey player he is if he were still playing all his hockey in a rink in an industrial plaza in the outskirts of Brantford before 125 fans? Sure, I know. You're going to say that Wayne wouldn't be the player he is if he only played once a week. That te play three, four times a week, and practise two, three hours a day requires professional status. He couldn't do that and earn a living, too. I agree. But you can bet those thousands of cheering fans also help Gretzky's game; they also provide a powerful motivating force far beyond what money can buy. You can't except- any athlete to perform at world level without a constant diet of it. But that's exactly what we expect our Olympic athletes to do. No one rets to the Olympics in any sport without years - that's right, -1 years - of dedication. Five, six, seven hours a day of training. Every day. 0f travelling all over this country - and several others - to find competition worthy of honing sharper skills. And then to perform all weekend in gyms ar indoor tracks (precious few) or arenas before 125 people. Not fans, mind you; we don't have fans of Olympic sports. People - usually parents, lovers, friends of participants. You want examples? Exciting, high-level college basketball in this area draws 100 fans on a good day. Several national women's volleyball teams met in a tournament at Durham College last spring. Mind you, not one team but several national teams. The tournament drew flies. When did you last attend a track meet? Sports pages reflect this. Produced usually by bedazzled jocks, wrting on the sports pages re- sembles more fan hysteria that intelligent journalism. And that's just in the big three power sports that get all the space: hockey, baseball and football. Think about the past year: how much space has been devoted to the build-up to the Olympics? How many to the names bandied about in the past week had you even heard about before? Can you really praise the detailed coverage in all sports leaeding up to Olympic qualifications? My message? You can't buy medals. Athletes are motivated far more by achievements than money. Get out there and cheer your guts out for four, twelve, sixteen years, and maybe, just maybe, we'll start to win medals. Until then we are a fat, lazy, sick consumer society that pays more attention to rock stars and beer ommercials than to world class athletes. Motivate atheletes with money, and in their greed they'll do anything to win. The morality becomes: do what you have to, but the sin is in getting caught. All'Ben Johnson did was get caught. Local clergy dismayed at decision to eliminate school prayer By Debbie Luchuk With the Ontario Court of Appeal last week striking down the regulation requiring school boards to hold prayers during school opening exercises, many Whitby clergymen are expressing dismay and sadness. The Durham Board of Edu- cation, other boards and Ministry of Education are all scrambling for more information on - the ruling, and say they are unable to take any position on the ruling until that information arrives. "We feel that there's little enough to give ethics or morals to kids these days," says Rev. Rod Barlow of Al Saints' Anglican Church about the court ruling. "The courts have ruled, but I assume that this (the ruling) will be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada." Barlow added that Ontario has always had a provision for the exemption of children of non-Christian faiths from prayer exercises; and that the Education Act always allowed for other prayers to accommodate the other religious groups. "The Lord's Prayer (however) could be used by any faith", .Barlow said, noting that the prayer is sufficiently general to appeal to many faiths. Dr. Ron Baxter of Faith Baptist Church was saddened by the announcement. "It is a very sad day for our public school system. We've moved from the ground rules when the public system was set up, and have moved into more secular, humanistic society," he said, adding that his denom- ination believed humanism to be another religion. "This is a Judeo-Christian system. When people come to Canada, they understand this, and when we go somewhere, like Pakistan, we are expected to do the same." Baxter said that he thought Christian parents may consider the private Christian schools as See us for ail your party platter needs! CD, CD CD CD N CD CD N CD CD CD CD CD CL U) See us for all your party platter needs! an alternative to public education if prayers are removed. Rev. Michael Begbie of Westminster United Church said that the board of his church was meeting te discuss the matter this week, and would comment later. "It's (the board) quite aware that· we live in a multicultural society," Begbie said. Rev. Gordon McKinnon of the Durham Full Gospel Church said that the ruling was not a surprise. 'We could see it coming. rm certainly disappointed that they've (finally) gone and done it," McKinnon said. "To start with, we're going in the wrong direction with the idea of multiculturalism. It is all Brian Belfry promises to make your weekday mornings entertaining. Join Brian and friends, Sarah Michener with "Durham Commuter Check"; Gord Taschuk with News on the hour and half hour; and the "Sports Page" with Sports Director, Jack Page. wrong. It would be far better if we were like the United States, and stood together, rather than this division." Neil assistant cation. Hodgson, executive to the director of edu- Durham Board of Education, told The Free Press that the board does not yet have a position on the court's ruling, and that the Ministrv of Edu- cation does not yet have an official copy of the ruling. BUfl mASTER Expires Oct. 2/88 BAHERY Seasame Seed Assorted Buns Buns $1. O691doz. $1 ..55/doz. 1380 HOPKINS 666-1177 Open 7 Days a Week Listen and Win! with the "Spin That Wins" at 7:40 a.m. Paul Harvey's News & Comment at 9:03 a.m. and much, much more. For Durham Region's BEST morning radio show, turn your radio dial to CHOO 1390 AM weekday mornings between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. for "Breakfast With Belfry" with Brian Belfry. Brian Belfry Weekdays 6:00 a.m.-1 0:00 a.m. RADIO 1390 AM Durhams Voice...by Choice' Breakfast WithBelfry! EAST END QUALITY MEATS' & DELICATESSEN Serving you personally with the finest in meats, cold cuts and cheeses. 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